RECORD STORE DAY 2011

Thursday, October 28, 2010

*******blogging. time consuming, yet crucial to the curious consumer. this posting is dedicated to my late best friend, my dog of 9 years--rescued at 2-ish, the british bred chocolate labrador retriever who stumbled into my life (as it was crumbling), took shits in the weirdest of places, would eat anything but celery (good for him, i wont eat that crap either)and probably the most willing to hang out with me these passed few years. He succumbed a year long battle with cancer and arthritis a few weeks ago leaving my world quite emptied. I understand this is the STORE blog, but i would be remiss without eulogizing one of the creatures on this rotten planet that meant the world to me. as a result, some things have slowed down (he telepathically helped me order in new stock). i apologize if these have effected/affected you in any way, or i've been a grouch behind the counter-- and i have been. short wick. but things continue blah blah blah. the milkbones remain on the counter and if yer strolling by with your french poodle, don't hesitate to bring them in. this goes for your bikes, too. now, on to the business at hand. I: Incoming/New Releasesthe latest from legendary imprint, In The Red Records, brings forth a batch of new and upcoming releases. CHEAP TIME - Fantastic Explanations A few years back, Memphis' Tennessee unleashed Cheap Time's debut, a herky-jerky catchy punk rock record that drew comparisons from early Redd Cross, most notably. The band even, through much begging with basement show folks, played a blazing set at the late Death Trap located at 29 Custer Street. They were unknown at the time, but managed to leave with a hundred bucks, some food and a batch of new fans. Then Jeffrey Novak retreated to the bedroom and unleashed a major departure solo album, all of which he wrote and played. The light pressing (500?) was so good, it stunned folks. 60s pop influenced (someone said it made XTC sound like george jones) all around, it was packed with well written hits.On Fantastic Explanations, that solo album style worked its way into Cheap Times uptempo punk style and these are the results. A top shelf sophmore album.FRESH & ONLYS - Play It Strange The girls are gone, the uptempo garage rock ravers are gone, but the mood isn't quite as dark as their previous album. Not content to sit in one place for long on their third album (an 8.0 on Pitchfork so you have to own it). While the rest of the world is catching up with the Fresh & Onlys, Spiral Scratch customers have been snatching up their singles and lp's--3 in a year and a half with this being the first to escape any semblance of an unfair "lo-fi" tag. Well crafted and memorable, often dreamy 60s pop (i think they've left the garage completely) songs that fill an album that is being critically acclaimed and coinsidered a "best of so far" by some high brow publications. **Waterfall= from "Play It Strange"

coming soon from In The Red (11/11) TYVEK Nothing Fits LP (their masterpiece?) and The PARTING GIFTS (featuring Greg 'Oblivian' Cartwright of Reigning Sound!)*all Reigning Sound lp's back in stock and several 7"'s on the way.

BELLE & SEBASTIAN - Write About Love - The latest from this force of indie rock comes with a free 7" with "bonus tracks" and a contest in which you....write about love (300 words) and send it back to Matador (secret code inside). More details at the counter. This may be Belle & Sebastians finest moment in years, at least a few. A certain step away from the preceding album, which, if you like, is available alongside reissues of Tigermilk, If You're Feeling Sinister and the Boy with The Arab Strap.

More from el Matador: the recent efforts from RATATAT (LP4) ,DEERHUNTER 'Halcyon Digest', BRITISH SEA POWER 12" (6 songs), MISSION OF BURMA (plus the reissues now available as single budget priced lp's and deluxe editions, Pixies and pavement back catalogs.

Some other newer releases:NOBUNNY-First Blood (incredible follow-up to the smash hit debut (also in stock) plus an assortment of Nobunny 7 "'s.

WOVEN BONES- In and Out and Back Again LP - not that new, but worth noting--comparisons to VU and Jesus and Mary chain abound, the Woven Bones stand strong on their own merits and the recent 7" shows them stepping away from the minimal fuzz and offering 2 great tracks of new material.

INSUBORDINATES s/t - These Rochester punks are no joke, though their frontman with the dangling earing would like you to think so. Maybe he has pissed you off and maybe he tried hard in doing so, but just let the record spin and realize one of the best straight forward punk rock records released recently has come from nearby Rochester, NY. Alongside "buddy bands", 7" records Braincar and the Narc's are in stock, there is finally something brewing in Rochester besides homicides.

WIPERS - OUT TAKES - Recorded between 1979-1983, these 13 tracks are culled from the bonus tracks of the original first 3 lp box set, hand picked by Greg Sage and drawn from the original tapes. This, along with the first 3 WIPERS albums, have been stocked-ordered direct from Jackpot Records in seattle who spared no expense. These are by no means throwaway tracks, rather different approaches and takes on essential tracks from the early days.

A-FRAMES - 333 A 3 record set of singles, demos, unreleased tracks from one of the great, yet criminally overlooked, bands of the last decade. (Drummer Lars now fronts the Intelligence) A career spanning behemoth of a package not just for superfans. Probably limited, but i'm not sure.

Moonhearts s/t - Debut longplayer from the artists formerly known as Charlie & the Moonhearts (Chaz plays drums, by the way), with assistance from the amazing Ty Segall (we have his latest 2 albums and a split with UK band Black Time in stock) present their 7 track (no joke) is full of fuzz and scuzz and memorable blasts of raunchy goodness. Dig in while they last.

Some reissues instock include those demented Swedes BRAINBOMBS and their Urge To Kill LP and SINGLES compilation. Lyrically, they claim to be influenced by a writer named Peter Sotos (whatever, dudes), but this is clearly not for the faint of heart. Musically, the seminal style is minimal, noisy slashing with spat out singing in broken english, words that would make a feces slinging gg allin cringe. This is not of much consequence, since the music is so good and these records have been sought after in the years following their initial release (when they were ignored). Keep in mind the last record to spin before fire claimed our North Buffalo location was, indeed, a Brainbombs record.DROPDEAD reissues, 3 lp's straight from the Armageddon Shop.Influential metal/hardcore heroes Zero Tolerance have had their first 7" reissued, with early Sick of it All and Agnostic Front records. A 10 song 7" from Negative Approach slap's their first demo onto wax for the first time.

Don't forget previously enjoyed/used records are going out every day, trying to keep up with a recent influx.

Entry to be continued...suns coming up.

anchovies 10.28.10

PART 2 More Reissues and Restock Action & SCRATCH & SNIFF #2

Post Modern Blooze & Propoganda. From the makers of Spiral Scratch and carefully edited and put together by our own "employee", damage controller and general rock and roll wunderkind, Get Mugged Gaffney--comes the second installment of Buffalo's Only Rock and Roll Mag. Chock full of writing about our favorite music, interviews and grainy photographs. Going fast.

MORE REISSUES & RESTOCKS: A quick lookReissues from STRIKE ANYWHERE (Exit English and Change Is A Sound)DISCHARGE - War Is Hell (featuring 1978 demo 7" tracks). we are expecting the first 2 Discharge records in the coming weeks, as well. These, i gather, will sell out quickly.DRI - Dirty Rotten LP & Dealing With It GODFLESH - s/tLUNGFISH - Pass and StowThis coming week is a huge week for us with new orders coming in, so stay tuned for more....Integrity, Converge reissues en route. We bet the farm this week.

Next post: A look at some local/area labels and their releases. anchovies10.29.10

SPIRAL SCRATCH RECORDS.....

...one of Buffalo's only independent record stores focusing on vinyl sales both new and used (although we do sell clothing, books, magaZINES, stickers, buttons, cassettes, vintage stereo gear, a few cd's, and DVDs as well). We specialize in stocking old and new punk, hardcore, metal, garage and indie-rock, soul, jazz, country AND western, $1 beaters/guilty pleasures, record cleaning stuff (not overpriced snake oils) and just about everything else. We are always looking to buy to used clean vinyl , give us a call or stop in the store any time.